Not everyone is suitable to be your friend…

Ibn Qudamah al-Maqdisi رحمه الله

“Know that not everyone is suitable to be your friend. You must verify that this potential friend has the necessary characteristics that make friendship with him something to be desired. The one you seek to befriend must have five characteristics:

-He must be intelligent, as there is no good in befriending an idiot, as he will only harm you when he wants to benefit you. By intelligent, we mean one who understands things as they are, either on his own, or if they are explained to him;

-He must have good manners, and this is a must. One who is simply intelligent might be overcome by anger or desire, and obey his desire. Thus, there would be no benefit in befriending him; 

What is 'Jaahiliyyah?'

 كَنْزُالأَطْفاَل  (The Children's Treasure)

  

Taught by: Umm Hyatt al-Ameriki حفظها الله

Question #14

مَا هِيَ الجَاهِلية ؟  - What is 'Jaahiliyyah'?

كُل مَا خَالف الكِتَاب وَ السُنة 
- Everything that opposes and goes against the Book of Allaah and the Sunnah of His Messenger صلّى اللَّهُ عليه وسلّم .

Linguistically the word 'Jaahiliyyah' is from the verb 'Jahila' -- which means 'to be ignorant' and  'Jaahiliyyah goes back to 'ignorance.'  Ignorance opposes the Qur'aan and the Sunnah. Allaah سُبحانه وتعالى sent Prophet Muhammad صلّى اللَّهُ عليه وسلّم with knowledge.

The word 'Jaahiliyyah' is used in many different forms. It all goes back to ignorance.

One definition of Dr. Faisal's for 'al-Jaahiliyyah' is: Everything that goes against the Kitaab & the Sunnah.

Sheikh A'ala Sheikh حفظه الله mentioned in his book 'Masaa'il al-Jaahiliyyah':

'Jaahiliyyah' is also used to denote everything that prevailed before the Prophet صلّى اللَّهُ عليه وسلّم became a Messenger / and sent as a Messenger.  (This is as far as we look at it from the aspect of 'time.')

* Who are the People of Jaahiliyyah at that time?

Those who oppose the Prophet  صلّى اللَّهُ عليه وسلّم. They are the Jews, the Christians and the Mushrikeen from the Arabs. 

The ROOTS of Hostility Towards Islaam (MUST READ) !!

By: Abu Rayhana Abdul-Hakeem Al-Ameriki حفظه اللّه

Transcript by: Umm Hasna bint Jabir as-Saylâniyyah

With the aid and permission of Allaah سُبحانه وتعالى , we will take a look into the Qur'aan on a topic that is very important and essential due to the various crisis and affairs of these days. We will be taking a look at the roots and hostility towards Islaam and the people of Islaam (the Muslims). Is this hostility towards Islaam and its people something new?

First, we must understand that Islaam is the religion of Allaahسُبحانه وتعالى  from the beginning of time until today. Allaah did not send any Messenger except that He commanded them with لا إله إلا الله . 

The Muslims are the righteous!! They are the obedient in every place and time. We want to look back in history from the beginning of time, wherein we will find that the righteous were called MUSLIMS! From the beginning of time until this very day, the Righteous and the Obedient are referred to and called as MUSLIMS !!   

The roots of hostility towards Islaam and the Muslims started from the beginning of time. In fact, the roots of hostility towards the righteous and righteousness (i.e. being steadfast, being upon Mustaqeem, being upon taqwa of Allaah) prevailed from the time of our father Aadam عليه السلام  and goes back to two things:

1.     Hasad: Envy

2.     Kibr: Arrogance

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I will take him by his hand until I enter him into Jannah ...

The Prophet صلّى اللَّهُ عليه وسلّم  said: 
 

“Whoever says when he enters the morning: 

"رَضِيتُ باللهِ رَبَّاً، وَبِالْإِسْلَامِ دِيناً، وَبِمُحَمَّدٍ صَلَى اللهُ عَلِيهِ وَسَلَّمَ نَبِيَّاً".

Radeetu billaahi Rabban, wa bil-Islaami Deenan, wa bi-Muhammadin nabiyyan

I am pleased with Allaah as the Lord, with Islaam as a Religion, & with Muhammad as a Prophet), then I am the guarantor that I will take him by his hand until I enter him into Jannah.”

[Authenticated by Sheikh al-Albaani رحمه الله  (As-Sahīhah, no. 2686)]

“Choose the one that possesses the religion and may you prosper.”

 On the authority of Abu Hurairah رضي اللّه عنـه, that the Messenger of Allaah صلّى اللَّهُ عليه وسلّم said:

“The woman is married for four reasons: For her wealth, status, beauty & religion. Choose the one that possesses the religion & may you prosper.”

[Bukhari & Muslim]

This prophetic narration clarifies some of the characteristics that motivate a man to marry a woman. It also specifies the preferred trait one should look for in a spouse which is marrying a religious one. So it is befitting when an individual intends to marry, that he chooses a woman who is religious. He should not choose a woman that is negligent regarding her religion due to the Prophet’s, peace be upon him, statement:

“Choose the one that possesses the religion & may you prosper.”

“For her wealth”: If the woman is wealthy, men will be attracted to her because of it. However, this could be harmful to the man and as well as her, in that she could become arrogant and/or oppressive to him and mention (all) her favours that she has done for him spitefully. So as a result the wealth would be the cause for adversity in their marriage.

Do Not Become Accustomed to Comfort and Luxury !!

  

Sheikh Muhammad bin ‘Uthaimeen رحمهم الله said:

“This is a piece of advice that should be given to both the student of knowledge and other than the student of knowledge. This is because indulging in these things contradicts the guidance of the Prophet صلّى اللَّهُ عليهوسلّم, as he used to forbid excessive luxury, and would sometimes enjoin others to be barefoot. The person who becomes accustomed to comfort will find it difficult to face various situations, as he will face things that do not correspond to the luxury and comfort that he is used to.

Regarding that which is created from smokeless fire... The JINN!!

Ibn Hazmرحمه الله  said:

The Jinn are real, and they are creatures created by Allaah سُبحانه وتعالى. Among them are kaafirs and believers. They can see us but we cannot see them. They eat, have children and die.

Allaahسُبحانه وتعالى  says in His Noble Book: 

يَا مَعْشَرَ الْجِنِّ وَالإِنسِ

“O you assembly of Jinn and Mankind!”

[al-An’aam 6:130]

وَالْجَآنَّ خَلَقْنَاهُ مِن قَبْلُ مِن نَّارِ السَّمُومِ

“And the Jinn, We created aforetime from the smokeless flame of fire.”

[al-Hijr 15:27]

وَأَنَّا مِنَّا الْمُسْلِمُونَ وَمِنَّاالْقَاسِطُونَ فَمَنْ أَسْلَمَ فَأُوْلَئِكَ تَحَرَّوْا رَشَدًا

وَأَمَّاالْقَاسِطُونَ فَكَانُوا لِجَهَنَّمَ حَطَبًا

“And of us some are Muslims (who have submitted to Allaah, after listening to this Qur'aan), and of us some are Al-Qaasitoon (disbelievers those who have deviated from the Right Path)’. And whosoever has embraced Islam (i.e. has become a Muslim by submitting to Allaah), then such have sought the Right Path.”

“And as for the Qaasitoon (disbelievers who deviated from the Right Path), they shall be firewood for Hell.”

[al-Jinn 72:14-15]

“You must be willing to have hope that you can change…”

“You must be willing to change. You must be willing to break the deal you made with the devils within. You must be willing to leave the past and not be tempted to rebound when times are tough. You must be willing to let go of everything and anyone that takes you back to your sins. You must be willing to have hope. You must be willing to have hope that you can change and that you will and that you will be better. You must believe you are worthy of change and you are worthy of improvement and you are worthy of being the best. You must be willing to set aside your negative notions about life, about hardships, about people, about things, about yourself. You must be willing to stop feeling sorry for yourself while looking at the world move around you. Get up and make something of yourself.”

— Imâm Ibnul Qayyim رحمه الله

What Is Beneath the Graves Is Known Only to the Knower of the Unseen..!

Question addressed to Sheikh Uthaimeen رحمه الله: Is the torment of the grave one of the matters of the unseen or of the seen world? What is the reason why it is made one of the matters of the unseen?

Answer: The torment of the grave is one of the matters of the unseen. How many people in these graves are being tormented but we do not realize it, and how many of their neighbors' are being blessed with a door opened for them to Paradise, but we do not realize it? What is beneath the graves is known only to the Knower of the Unseen. The torment of the grave is one of the matters of the unseen, and were it not for the revelation that came to the Prophet صلّى اللَّهُ عليه وسلّم, we would not know anything about it.

Ruling on women advertising their desire to marry in newspapers

 Fatwa no. 17930

Q: What is the ruling on women advertising in newspapers & magazines their descriptions seeking marriage?

A: A woman advertising her desire to marry in newspapers and magazines and listing her descriptions conflicts with chastity, modesty and decency. It is NOT a Muslim custom at all. Thus, it is obligatory to refrain from doing it. Furthermore, it conflicts with the responsibility of her Waliy (a legally accountable person acting for a woman seeking marriage) through whose approval she may be given in marriage.

{Part No. 18; Page No. 41}

Permanent Committee for Scholarly Research & Ifta'

Member	Member	Member	Member	Chairman
Bakr Abu Zayd	`Abdul-`Aziz Al Al-Shaykh	Salih Al-Fawzan	`Abdullah ibn Ghudayyan	`Abdul-`Aziz ibn `Abdullah ibn Baz